WITHOUT IT... THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE MONTEREY PENINSULA'S FUTURE WATER NEEDS. ONE PENINSULA GROUP FRUSTRATED BY WHAT IT CALLS A LACK OF ACTION BY CAL-AM, IS NOW GAINING MOMENTUM FOR A PUBLIC BUYOUT OF THE AGENCY. ACTION NEWS REPORTER MAY CHOW IS LIVE IN OUR SALINAS NEWSROOM WITH TODAY'S DEVELOPMENTS.### ERIN...THE CITIZEN'S GROUP "PUBLIC WATER NOW" SAYS THE FACT THEY COLLECTED MORE THAN 8-THOUSAND SIGNATURES TO PLACE AN INITIATVE ON THE JUNE BALLOT MAKES A COMPELLING CASE FOR A PUBLIC TAKEOVER OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER SYSTEM. RONALD 3:40-3:49: "it's a significant milestone for project water now, we turned in the petitions we gathered to place our initiative on the ballot." RONALD COHEN HAS BEEN A VOCAL CRITIC OF CAL-AM, SAYING THE AGENCY FAILED TO MANAGE THE SCARCE WATER SUPPLY. RONALD 6:29-6:43: "they're very inefficient monopoly, and they they're very ineffective....they've made no headway." HE'S THE MANAGING DIRECOR OF THE GROUP PROJECT WATER NOW, WHICH CLAIMS CAL-AM FAILED EFFORTS TO SECURE WATER RESOURCES HAVE COST RATEPAYERS MORE THAN 100-MILLION DOLLARS SINCE 20-04. walking two shot CARMEL VALLEY RESIDENT HELGA FELLAY SIGNED THE PETITION, SAYING CAL AM IS MAKING MONEY FOR WORK THEY DIDN'T DO. HELGA 18:41-18:51 "for all their trys and failures the cost is passed on to us, we pay for that, and we have no control over it, we have no say so but we have to pay for it." RONALD 7:40-7:49: "if we bring it in locally, know we can save money, also know process of making decisions and taking actions can be greatly streamlined." COHEN'S GROUP TURNED OVER THE SIGNATURES TO THE MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, WHICH COUNTED THE VOTES ON FRIDAY. IT WILL THEN DELIVER THE PETITIONS TO THE COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS FOR AUTHENTICATION. VOTERS FOR AUTHENTICATION. DAVE 11:43-11:56: "our organization is just being responsive. We've got no dog in the fight here...what will of people is there." CAL-AM TOLD ACTION NEWS IT WILL WAIT TO SEE IF ENOUGH SIGNATURES ARE VALIDATED TO QUALIFY THE INITIATVE FOR THE BALLOT BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION. AND ADDED THAT THE PROPOSITION HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE WHICH SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT VOTERS UNDERSTAND SECURING A NEW WATER SUPPLY IS THE MOST URGENT ISSUE ...AND QUOTE "WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED BY A MISGUIDED AND EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR THAT DOES NOTHING TOWARD ACCOMPLISHING THIS GOAL." BUT COHEN AND HIS SUPPORTERS SAY THERE'S ENOUGH FRUSTRATION AND CONCERN AMONG RESIDENTS TO MOVE FORWARD. RONALD 8:41-8:50: "this is going to be a battle between david and goliath, and we need all the community support we can possibly get." IF VOTERS APPROVE THE INITIATIVE, THE MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WILL HAVE NINE MONTHS... TO COME UP WITH A FEASIBLE PLAN AND COST ESTIMATE OF TAKING CAL-AM PUBLIC. ERIN?### there have been attempts to take over THE UTILITY PUBLIC IN THE 1980s AND EARLY TWO-THOUSANDS. PROPOPENTS FOR PUBLIC CONTROL SAY THE LOOMING DEADLINE TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE'S ORDER TO REDUCE PUMPING OF THE CARMEL RIVER BY 70- PERCENT ... MAKES THIS A DIRE INITIATIVE.### CONTINUING COVERAGE

Blazes raging in forests and woodlands across California have taken the life of a firefighter and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes as crews continue to battle the flames from the air and the ground.